The art of swapping one engine into another car is something becoming more and more popular. Taking LS engines for example and putting them in a Japanese car might be something you do. Or taking an engine from a JDM classic and shoving it into an American muscle car. That might seem like an odd concept to many. But to automotive YouTuber Tom’s Refurb, that is something that is reality for him. As he has a 1965 Ford Mustang with a Honda engine in it.
Before many of you cry about a classic muscle car getting modified in an unholy manner, there is something to consider. Tom had bought this 1965 Mustang when it was an absolute wreck. So he has given it a lease of life that it might not have had otherwise. Not only that but Tom has actually transplanted the Mustang onto the chassis of a Honda Civic. A 1996 Honda Civic to be specific. And after some more work, this car is back up and running again, although it looks like it needs a lot more work yet.
Why The Car Needed To Get Running Again
Tom states that this is the world’s first front-wheel drive, turbo-Honda five-speed classic Mustang. A bit of a mouthful but that is what it is. The last time this car was on the channel, Tom blew a hole in its transmission. That wasn’t exactly ideal. The transmission then died for good on him, and the motor itself was a bit broken as well after that. So its sat around for three months doing nothing. But Tom is now ready to get this car back to life. He wants to shove a GSR transmission in it and get it going once again.
It's certainly an incredible looking thing. The rustic patina vibe of the bodywork appeals but inside, three months of parking has taken its toll. After a bit of a jump from a battery charger, the Mustang does run and turn over, so there is some hope for this creation. The only downside is that the transmission sounds pretty horrible. Little surprise as it is in effect broken. Tom surmises that the B20B motor was probably a bit too much for the transmission in his Mustang. Hence, the fact it decided to end its life quite quickly. Definitely was not down to Tom’s driving at all, he kids.
Fixing The Problems And Getting Things Going Again
All those problems aside, Tom quickly sets to work getting things sorted on this JDM infused Mustang. Taking the brakes off and of course removing the old transmission is top on the list of jobs to do. A fair bit of work later and Tom has got the transmission out of the Mustang, and shaking it around reveals some interesting sounds coming from it. Quite clearly, its days are all done. Tom bought his new GSR transmission off Facebook Marketplace, which can sometimes be a recipe for disaster.
But, in it goes anyway, and he gets to work putting other components back on, so it is ready to go. Another little bit of work Tom needs to do is take the old intake off and shove a brand new, shiny one on the engine. Luckily, this isn’t as difficult or time-consuming a job as fitting the new transmission. But it is very much needed. The intake manifold does look pretty good in the engine bay, and the last step is to put the intercooler pipe back on. After that, it is time to fire the Mustang up.
Getting The Honda-Mustang Fired Up After Its Work
After that work, it is time for Tom to fire up the Mustang. But will it fire up? Well, after a couple of false starts and some persevering, the Mustang does indeed fire up. It's making one hell of an interesting sound. Not a sound that many Mustangs can claim to make. A few more tweaks are then done as Tom is not convinced it is running as sweet as it could be. After that, it's time for the acid test. Will the transmission work and will the car run on the road?
The Wild Mustang Is Back Out On The Road
This is the first drive for the Mustang with its new transmission. And rather amazingly, the clutch still works. And it looks like the transmission is also shifting as it should be too. Despite all the hammering the car took before, the motor is running, and the transmission will shift. From the sounds of it though it does need a lot of work still. Overheating is something else that Tom runs into while out on the test. Tom tries one more roll of the dice and puts some fresh E85 into the Mustang towards the end of the video, but that doesn’t let the Mustang hit the boost he wants. Clearly, more work is required before this Honda-swapped Mustang is back up to full health.
Source: Tom's Refurbs YouTube Channel